One of the prominent themes resonating throughout Elton John’s Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy album is the idea of individuals existing on the fringes of society. This concept is immediately introduced after the opening tracks, “Captain Fantastic and Brown Dirt Cowboy”, with “Tower of Babel.” This track somberly observes societal outcasts, noting, “See the letches crawl / With the call girls under the table / Watch them dig their graves / ‘Cause Jesus don’t save the guys / In the tower of Babel.” Here, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the songwriting duo, seem to acknowledge a societal discomfort with certain forms of indulgence and behavior, implying that their artistic personas perhaps find belonging only amongst those deemed unconventional.
Side one culminates in what is arguably Elton John’s most profoundly personal and emotionally charged song, “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.” This poignant ballad recounts a tumultuous period in the late 1960s when John, engaged and grappling with severe doubts about his impending marriage, contemplated suicide. The ‘someone’ referenced in the song is Long John Baldry, a friend who provided crucial support during this dark chapter. The song’s celebrated chorus powerfully encapsulates John’s salvation and his choice to break free from his engagement:
And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear
You almost had your hooks in me didn’t you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar-bound, hypnotized
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear
You’re a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
The palpable sense of liberation and the absence of anguish within the melody and lyrics make “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” an exceptionally revealing piece. It offers not only a glimpse into a past relationship but also an unvarnished portrayal of Elton John’s vulnerable state of mind during that era, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of Elton John Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.
Beyond its autobiographical insights, Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy showcases the breadth of Elton John’s musical prowess. Side two opens with “(Gotta Get a) Meal Ticket,” a song that vividly narrates his early days as a struggling musician. The lyrics, “Do yourself a favor, the meal ticket does the rest,” poignantly capture the pragmatic necessities of survival in the demanding music industry and reflect the hustle of aspiring artists.
“Better Off Dead,” a standout track from the album and a prime example of Elton John’s sonic experimentation, provides a vivid snapshot of street life and the experiences of those who, like the young artist himself, feel alienated from mainstream society. The song revisits the recurring album theme that society often marginalizes creative and unconventional individuals. The scenes depicted in the lyrics paint a picture of societal outcasts and their daily struggles:
Well they’ve locked up their daughters and they battened the hatches
They always could find us but they never could catch us
Through the grease streaked window of an all night cafe
We watched the arrested get taken away
And that cigarette haze has ecology beat
As the whores and the drunks file in from the street
Musically, “Better Off Dead” is characterized by a prominent drum presence, almost resembling a march, which arguably symbolizes an artist’s determined fight for recognition in a world that seems ill-equipped to accommodate them. Elton John’s forceful instrumentation, coupled with Bernie Taupin’s defiant lyrics, renders “Better Off Dead” a particularly impactful track on Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, underscoring the album’s overarching themes:
‘Cause the steam’s in the boiler, the coal’s in the fire
If you ask how I am, then I’ll just say inspired
If the thorn of a rose, is the thorn in your side
Then you’re better off dead, if you haven’t yet died
